Attachment for installing wallboard and insulation



Sept. 18, 1962 c. L. THON 3,054,611

ATTACHMENT FOR INSTALLING WALLBOARD AND INSULATION Filed Aug. 21. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 27 2a 27 I h! JIIITJ EIYLIZE "In, "llh.

INVENTOR. FIG 2 CARL L. THON A TTORNEYS Sept. 18, 1962 c. L. THON 3,054,611

ATTACHMENT FOR INSTALLING WALL-BOARD AND INSULATION Filed Aug. 21. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 6 INVENTOR CARL L. THON A T TORNE Y5 3,054,611 ATTACHlVENT FOR INSTALLING WALLBOA AND INSULATION Carl L. Thon, 409 Clark Ave., Harvey, N. Dak. Filed Aug. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 835,273 8 Claims. (Cl. 269-97) My invention relates generally to construction equipment and more particularly to devices for facilitating the application of sheet or strip material to the ceiling-forming rafters conventionally found in homes or smaller buildings.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of apparatus of the type above generally defined which may be utilized both in the application of strip insulation between the ceiling-forming rafters and in the securing of wallboard or other sheet material such as plasterboard directly to the rafters.

A further and equally important object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which may be utilized by a single operator in the attachment of strips and/or sheets between or to the rafters.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is adjustable for clamping engagement to rafters of varying widths.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is extremely easy to operate.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which incorporates a minimum of working parts, which is relatively inexpensive to produce, is light in weight, and which is rugged and durable in construction.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing my novel apparatus in use in securing of strip insulation or the like between conventional rafters;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan, some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in vertical section, taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2, some parts being broken away and some parts added;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in transverse section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in section of a room, illustrating the use of my novel device in the application of sheet material to the ceiling-forming rafters;

FIG. 7 is a view in front elevation of the auxiliary supporting leg of my novel structure; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in perspective showing the supporting leg clamped to one of the mounting bars of my novel structure.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 indicate respectively spaced generally parallel mounting bars, preferably and as shown'being formed from steel rod stock, pipes or the like. Loosely mountable on the intermediate portions of each of the mounting bars 1, 2, are cooperating pairs of elongated clamping arms 3, 4, the free ends of which are provided with opposed teeth 5 for gripping penetration of a wooden rafter or the like A, and the opposite ends of which are provided with spreader means identified in their entireties by the numeral 6. Preferably and as 3,954,611 1 Patented Sept. 18, 1962 ice shown, the spreader means 6 includes a pair of cooperating toggle links 7 and 8 which are pivotally secured together as at 9, the link 7 being pivotally secured to the arm 3, as indicated at 10', and the link 8 being pivotally secured to the arm 4, as indicated at 11. To move the toggle links 7, 8 from the retracted full line position of FIG. 3 to their spread dotted line positions, I provide a handle portion 12 which, as noted, is in the nature of a metal loop, which forms a longitudinal extension of the link 8. As shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3, the handle 12 engages the link 7 when the pivot 9 has been moved thereby to a position beyond dead center. In this manner, the arms 3, 4 are retained in a spread position.

The arms 3, 4 extend transversely of the mounting bars 1, 2 and are provided intermediate their ends with aligned apertures 13, 14 respectively which are of a diameter greater than the diameter of the mounting bars 1, 2, whereby to permit free pivotal or rotary movements as well as free sliding and limited rocking movements. For a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent, each pair of the clamping arms 3, 4 is provided with aligned apertures 15, 16 which are spaced radially of their cooperating mounting arms 1, 2 in the direction of the teeth 5 and similar apertures 17, 18 respectively which are spaced radially outwardly from their cooperating mounting arms 1, 2 in the direction of the spreader means 6. Optionally receivable in aligned apertures 15, 16, 17, 18 is a threaded shaft 19 having adjustable abutment nuts 20 engageable with the opposed surfaces 21 of the clamping arms 3, 4 and adjustable nuts 22 and 23 which exert limiting force on the outer surfaces of said arms 3, 4. Preferably and as shown, the nuts 2?. exert force against the outer surfaces of their respective arm 3 through the medium of a coil compression spring 24. By this arrangement, not only are the arms 3, 4 yieldingly biased toward each other with the desired force in all positions during clamping movements, as indicated by full and dotted lines in FIG. 3, but also the spacing between the arms 3, 4 may be varied to compensate for rafters A of different widths. Obviously, as the arms 3, 4 are spread, they tend to rock about the shaft 19 on axes spaced from but generally normal to the axis of the mounting bars 1, 2. This is true irrespective of whether the shaft 19 is inserted through the aligned apertures 17, 18, wherein the clamping arms are utilized for anchoring the mounting bars 1, 2 to a rafter A, as shown in FIG. 3, or alternatively are inserted through the aligned apertures 15, 16 for the purpose. of securing the clamping arms 3, 4 to a vertical wall stud B, as shown in FIG. 6.

A pair of tie members 25, 26, each preferably and as shown including cooperating telescoping elements 27 and 28, are provided at their opposite ends with bearings 29, 3%} which permit sliding movements of the tie members 25 and 26 on the mounting bars 1, 2 on opposite sides of the clamping arms 3, 4 and removal thereof from the opposite ends of said mounting bars. As shown, the tie members 25 and 26 are provided with set screws 31 for locking the elements 2.7, 28 in the desired extended or retracted positions thereof.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 6, the bearings 30 define elongated slots 32. which permit sliding movement of the mounting bar 1 from the dotted line position of FIG. 4 wherein the mounting bar 1 lies substantially in the same plane as the tie members 25, 26, to the full line position thereof wherein the mounting bar 1 is lat erally offset from said plane.

For the purpose of retaining the mounting bar 2 in the offset full line position of FIG. 4, I provide a lock pin 33.

When my novel structure, above described, is utilized for the purpose of placing elongated bats of insulation C between spaced parallel ceiling-forming rafters A, one of the mounting bars 1, 2, identified by the numeral 1 in FIG. 1, is caused to immediately underlie at least three of the rafters A. Specifically this is accomplished by bringing the given mounting bar 1, 2 into engagement with said rafters A, and with the clamping arms 3, 4 in opposed relationship on opposite sides of the central rafter A and in close relationship to one of the walls B. Thereafter, moving of the handle 12 from the full to the dotted line positions of FIG. 3 will cause penetration of the teeth 5 with the opposite side surfaces of the rafter A, as there shown. Finally, the clamping arms 3, 4 associated with the other mounting bar 1, 2 are similarly secured to the central rafter A in longitudinally spaced relationship to the first mounting bar so secured. It will be noted by reference to FIG. 1 that the mounting bars 1, 2 are now in a position to support a length of batting C for the purpose of securing same to the rafters A in a conventional manner. When the strips of batting so supported have been properly secured, the mounting bar and associated clamping arms first secured to the rafter are removed by swinging the handle 12 from the dotted to the full line position of FIG. 3. This detached mounting bar is then swung from the full line to the dotted line position of FIG. 1 about the axis of the mounting bar 2 through 180 of arc, as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1. This process is repeated until the entire length of the rafters being worked upon has been covered.

In the use of my novel device for the purpose of apply ing sheets of wallboard D to the rafters A, a pair of clamping arms 3, 4 and associated parts may be positioned in laterally spaced relationship on a mounting bar 1. After the clamping arms 3, 4, so positioned, have been modified by positioning the threaded shafts 19 in the aligned apertures 15, 16, said mounting bars 3, 4 are caused to have clamping engagement with a given pair of laterally spaced vertical wall studs B in closely spaced relation to the lower end portions of the ceiling rafters A, as indicated in FIG. 6. It will be noted in such use that the mounting bar 2 is retained in elevated position against the wallboard D by means of an extensible and retractable supporting leg 34, the upper end portion of which is provided with a suitable hook 35 for engagement of the intermediate portion of the mounting bar 2. Preferably and as shown, the book 35 is closed by a locking lever 36 which is centrally pivoted as at 37 and which prevents accidental dislodgement of the mounting bar 2 therefrom. When the portion of the wallboard shown in FIG. 6 is adequately secured to the overlying rafters A, my novel device is detached from the wall studs B and turned about substantially on the vertical axis of the supporting leg 34. In this manner, the clamping arms 3, 4 associated with the mounting bar 1 are in a position to engage the vertical wall studs B on the opposite side of the room. It goes without saying, however, that where required, the clamping arms 3, 4 associated with saidmounting bar 1 may be secured to the rafters A at intermediate points between the studs B on opposite sides of a given room. When this is required, the mounting bar 1 is shifted in the elongated bearing slots 32 associated with the tie members 25, 26 from the full to the dotted line position of FIG. 4 in order to bring the mounting bar 1 in the same horizontal plane as that occupied by the mounting bar 2.

As above indicated, the tie members 25, 26 as Well as the clamping arms'3, 4 are slidably removable from opposite ends of their respective mounting bars 1, 2. However, for the purpose of frictionally holding the said elements in a given position, I provide rubber stop collars 38.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and While I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that same may be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for facilitating the application of sheet or strip material to ceiling rafters comprising, a pair of generally parallel mounting bars of a length to transversely span at least three laterally spaced ceiling rafters, cooperating pairs of elongated clamping arms extending transversely of said mounting bars, means loosely securing the intermediate portion of each of said pairs of arms to its respective mounting bar for rotary movements about and longitudinal sliding movements along the axis of said bar, said arms having cooperating opposed rafterengaging teeth at one end and spreader means at their opposite ends, means mounting the intermediate portions of said clamping arms for rocking movements about generally parallel axes spaced from but normal to the axis of their respective mounting bar, and tie members extending between opposite end portions of said mounting bars.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the means mounting the intermediate portions of said clamping arms for rocking movements about parallel axes includes mechanism for varying the spacing between said parallel axes.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said clamping arms are so formed that the means mounting the intermediate portions thereof for rocking movements about generally parallel axes may be selectively establishcd either above or below their respective mounting bar.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with means associated with said last-mentioned means yieldingly biasing said arms toward each other.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in further com bination with adjustable means for extending and retracting said tie members longitudinally of the axis thereof.

6. The structure defined in claim 1 in which opposite ends of said tie members are mounted on their respective mounting bars for pivotal movements about the axes thereof and for longitudinal sliding movements axially thereof between said clamping arms and the extreme outer ends of said bars.

7. A device for facilitating the application of sheet or strip material to ceiling rafters comprising, a pair of generally parallel mounting bars of a length to transversely span at least three laterally spaced ceiling rafters, cooperating pairs of elongated clamping arms extending transversely of said mounting bars, means loosely securing the intermediate portion of each of said pairs of arms to its respective mounting bar for rotary movements about and longitudinal sliding movements along the axis of said bar, said arms having cooperating opposed rafterengaging teeth at one end and spreader means at their opposite ends, means mounting the intermediate portions of said clamping arms for rocking movements about generally parallel axes spaced from but normal to the axis of their respective mounting bar, extensible and retractable tie members extending between opposite end portions of said mounting bars and mounted thereon for sliding movements off the free ends thereof, and means mounting one of said mounting bars to said tie members for slideable adjustments from positions wherein said mounting bar lies within substantially the same plane as said tie members to positions laterally offset from said plane.

8. In a device of the class described, a pair of generally parallel mounting bars of a length to transversely span spaced adjacent ceiling rafters, cooperating pairs of elongated clamping arms extending transversely of each of said mounting bars, means loosely securing the intermediate portion of each of said pairs of clamping arms to its respective mounting bar for rotary movements about and longitudinal sliding movements along the axis of said bar, said arms having cooperating opposed rafter engaging teeth at one end and spreader means thereon in spaced relation to said teeth, means mounting the intermediate portions of said clamping arms for rocking movements about generally parallel axes spaced from but normal to the axis of their respective mounting bar, and elongated tie members extending between opposite ends of said mounting bars and mounted thereon for pivotal movements about the axes of said bars for sliding movements oil the free ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bowser July 31, Schryver June 28, Hall Dec. 1, OConnell June 23, Tyson May 2, Abernethy Oct. 8, Hoffman June 2, 

